Geocaching game combines treasure hunting and technology in Kansas parks

Jay Kennedy, left, and his son, Nick Kennedy, 6, hike out of the woods in Clinton Lake State Park during a geocaching adventure in this file photo from June 2008. Geocachers use GPS to search, with provided coordinates, for a hidden object - sort of a high-tech scavenger hunt.

Geocaching with Kansas State Parks

The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks participates in the popular treasure-hunting game. In fact, in almost every state park visitors can find hidden caches. This year the department is sponsoring its third annual Geocaching Contest. For more information about the contest visit the Department of Wildlife & Parks website.

Jay Kennedy plugs in the coordinates on his GPS during a geocaching expedition at Clinton Lake State Park. Kennedy and his son, Nick, were searching for a hidden cache on June 14.

Thanks to technology, treasure hunting is not as hard at it used to be.

But that doesn’t take the fun out of geocaching, a game in which participants use GPS systems to hide and seek caches that are hidden throughout the world. It is an activity for adventurers and explorers as well as families and beginners.

“I can’t believe I pass by this every day and didn’t know it was there,” said one online geocaching participant after making a find in Lawrence.

Several thousand caches are hidden throughout Kansas, with hundreds in and around Lawrence. The caches, which usually take the form of Tupperware, capsules, boxes or other small containers, can be filled with a variety of items. Typically, the caches will have a logbook that has information from the maker of the cache and notes from visitors, but they may also have treasures the owner left behind.

“We found 43 caches today in Topeka and Lawrence,” a participant posted on a geocaching website on June 30.

Caches are usually placed in parks or landmarks. Robert Wilson, of Lawrence Parks and Recreation, said there are probably around 20 caches in city parks.

The game is fairly open and left to the creativity of the participants, but the main rule is to replace anything you took from the cache so that the other treasure hunters can participate as well. Participants should also log the experience at the Geocaching website, www.geocaching.com.

Hunters who want to hide their own cache in a city park must fill out a free registration form with the Parks and Rec Department, which will provide information about the owner, the cache, location and description.

Wilson said the game is a great way to get people to visit parks and learn some history about the site.

“It shows them a little bit of Lawrence and gives them another reason to appreciate the parks,” Wilson said.

The popularity of the game has picked up since it began in 2000. Activity has stayed steady in Lawrence since the city joined the game in 2005.

The Prairie Park Nature Center will offer classes about geocaching; the first is on Sunday, July 25. Marty Birrell, nature education supervisor, said students will have the opportunity to learn about GPS units and participate in a recreational activity.

“People like to use technology and this is a way for them to explore technology and participate in a fun, treasure-hunting activity,” Birrell said.

Birrell said three caches at the Nature Center are visited often. She said it is a popular activity because families can enjoy it as well as individuals. Students still interested in enrolling in the class can call 832-7980 for more information.

I'm quite certain the UDK did an article about this topic either this last year or the previous, and it was more informative. Restaurant_Man, there's no need to try and be personal. You people take offense quite easily.

It's nice that it was in the UDK, but most people in the area don't have access to that paper. And yes, it's true that geocaching has been around awhile, but so has baseball, football, soccer, and many other activities. Doesn't mean there shouldn't be newspaper articles about them.